How can I eliminate ums ers and other filler words
One of the commonest vocal errors made by novice or poor speakers is excessive use of filler words. In this short article I show you how to eliminate these annoying vocal habits so that you will sound and feel more confident and persuasive as a speaker.
What are they and why do we do them?
Wikipedia says “A filler is a sound or word that is spoken in conversation by one participant to signal to others that he/she has paused to think but is not yet finished speaking”.
Common filler sounds
uh, er and um
Common filler words:
like, actually, really, kind of, y’know, basically & literally.
For a list of filler words in other languages see the wikipaedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filler_(linguistics)
Impact on your audience
Filler words can be both distracting and annoying if over used. They also give the audience the impression that the speaker has not prepared adequately or is anxious. It is therefore important to be aware of your own habit patterns and to follow the guidelines below if a problem exists.
How to eliminate them
One of the best ways to develop your awareness is to use a dictaphone or mobile phone to record your speech and then review. You may be pleasantly surprised or you may be shocked but either way you now know if you have a problem.
To eliminate them, slow down your speech a little and imagine that you can hear each word in your head before you say it out loud. When you catch yourself about to use an unnecessary filler, stop and consciously replace it with a silence.
Sometimes fillers arise because we feel pressured to say something before we have had time to think it through first. Such pressure is almost always self imposed. If you can learn to be comfortable with silence then you can eliminate the ums and your content and gravitas will be all the better for it.
Gavin Meikle
The Presentation Doctor
